Speaking at the NFL Owners Meetings last week, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones suggested that his club would not reach an extension with contract-year quarterback Dak Prescott, who will count $55+ million on Dallas’ 2024 salary cap.
“We are where we are. We have our contract,” Jones said. “We’re locked and loaded for this year, and we can see as we move along how we are thinking.”
Prescott holds no-trade and no-franchise tag clauses, so there’s a chance he will hit free agency in 2025. While subsequent reports have indicated the Cowboys could still work out a new deal with Prescott, he could reset the quarterback market if he reaches free agency.
Which NFL teams would be interested in signing Prescott if he hits the open market next offseason? Let’s run through his top 15 most likely destinations.
Ranking Dak Prescott’s 2025 NFL Landing Spots
15) New England Patriots
While the Patriots are expected to choose a quarterback with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they could opt for Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. or trade back. In that case, New England could consider rolling with Jacoby Brissett under center this season before pursuing an upgrade in 2025.
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The Patriots already project to have nearly $160 million in 2025 cap space, per Over the Cap — and that doesn’t include the $45+ million in unused 2024 funds the club can roll over to next year. If New England holds off on a QB until next offseason, it should be able to make Prescott the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback.
14) Minnesota Vikings
Like the Pats, the Vikings are also expected to target a Round 1 QB in the draft. Now owners of pick Nos. 11 and 23, Minnesota is seemingly prepared to trade into the top five and select one of Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, or Jayden Daniels.
However, if the Vikings strike out in moving up, they could theoretically deploy free agent addition Sam Darnold as their 2024 starter. With a weak 2025 rookie quarterback class on tap, Minnesota could shift its focus to the free agent market if a high-end veteran like Prescott becomes available.
13) Arizona Cardinals
While the Cardinals’ new regime has endorsed Kyler Murray as the team’s long-term quarterback, there’s a chance the former No. 1 overall pick doesn’t thrive in second-year OC Drew Petzing’s offense.
Arizona could designate Murray a post-June 1 cut in that scenario, saving $2.7 million in cap space in the process, or trade him and create nearly $15 million in 2025 cap room. The Cards are already flush with 2025 cap space and could easily afford Prescott, who might be intrigued by the desert if Arizona lands Harrison in this year’s draft.
12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield’s three-year, $100 million deal with the Buccaneers is really a one-year, $40 million contract. If Mayfield turns back into a pumpkin in 2024, Tampa Bay can move on next offseason and spread his resulting dead money into 2025 and 2026.
Bucs GM Jason Licht was aggressive in luring Tom Brady to Tampa Bay in 2020 and could view Prescott in a similar light. Prescott isn’t the next GOAT, but he’s a veteran quarterback who’d make sense for a Buccaneers roster littered with experienced players like WR Mike Evans, WR Chris Godwin, DT Vita Vea, and LB Lavonte David.
11) Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford posted a rebound 2023 campaign, passing for nearly 4,000 yards while ranking sixth in QBR (63.5). He’ll return next season to guide a Rams offense that finished seventh in DVOA and scored the eighth-most points in the league.
While he looked like the Stafford of old last year, the former No. 1 overall pick will be 37 years old next offseason. He’s battled myriad injuries and could be ready to call it a career, especially if Los Angeles succeeds in 2024. Sean McVay might not want to start over under center and would mesh with a cerebral quarterback like Prescott.
10) Carolina Panthers
How aggressive will the Panthers be with Bryce Young, who ranked 27th among 30 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA + CPOE composite in his rookie season? Will first-year head coach Dave Canales give last year’s top pick time to develop? Or will Carolina’s new regime quickly move on from Young if he struggles again in 2024?
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Prescott could make sense in the latter scenario, although the Panthers could have difficulty convincing the 30-year-old to sign. Thirty-two games over .500 in his career, Prescott is used to success. Would he join a moribund Carolina franchise that hasn’t won double-digit games since 2017 and has arguably the league’s worst ownership situation?
9) New Orleans Saints
While the Saints will give it one more try with their Derek Carr-Dennis Allen duo in place, New Orleans could start fresh in 2025. Finding a new head coach would be Step 1, but the Saints would also need to identify a new quarterback solution.
The Saints are projected to be nearly $75 million over the 2025 salary cap. However, they could create $66 million in cap space by cutting just four players: Carr, RB Alvin Kamara, TE Taysom Hill, and EDGE Cameron Jordan. New Orleans can make the financials work (they always do) and won’t be afraid of chasing an upgrade like Prescott.
8) Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have said all the right things about extending QB Tua Tagovailoa, who stayed healthy for all 17 games in 2023 and led the NFL in passing yards (4,624). Still, there’s an outside chance Miami will allow Tagovailoa to play the 2024 campaign on his fifth-year option while holding a 2025 franchise tag as leverage.
In many ways, Prescott is a souped-up version of Tagovailoa. His football intelligence might be a perfect match for Mike McDaniel’s offense, allowing Prescott to work as a point guard within one of the league’s most creative schemes.
7) New York Giants
Could Prescott stay in the NFC East? The Giants probably won’t be an option for Prescott if they draft a QB in 2024. But if Big Blue sticks with Daniel Jones and Drew Lock for the upcoming season, there’s no reason they can’t go after Prescott next spring.
Jones is entering a lame-duck campaign for New York, which can designate him as a post-June 1 cut next offseason and save $30 million in 2025 cap space. Those savings could help the Giants target a free agent option like Prescott, who’d instantly become the club’s best signal-caller since Eli Manning.
6) Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith has thrown 50 touchdowns and made two Pro Bowls after the past two seasons, but the Seahawks could move on sooner rather than later. Suggestions that trade acquisition Sam Howell could compete for Seattle’s starting QB job in 2024 only lent more credence to Smith’s eventual departure from the club’s roster.
The Seahawks can release Smith next offseason and create $25 million in cap space, money they’d desperately need to sign Prescott. If Seattle’s defense thrives under new HC Mike Macdonald, Prescott could be the missing piece for a Seahawks offense that already boasts WRs DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba and young OTs Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas.
5) New York Jets
Prescott could make sense for the 2025 Jets in multiple scenarios. Aaron Rodgers might retire if Gang Green wins the Super Bowl or makes a deep playoff run. In that case, New York wouldn’t be ready to reset, so Prescott could be an option if the Jets want to continue building around an experienced signal-caller.
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If Rodgers struggles, New York will likely blow things up, parting ways with its future Hall of Fame QB, head coach Robert Saleh, and GM Joe Douglas. Starting over yet again under center could present a bevy of options to the Jets, who could consider a rookie quarterback. But Prescott would be on the club’s radar if owner Woody Johnson remains in win-now mode.
4) Tennessee Titans
The Titans will likely get an answer on second-year QB Will Levis in 2024. After signing WR Calvin Ridley, RB Tony Pollard, and C Lloyd Cushenberry, Levis will have every opportunity to succeed after being selected 33rd overall in last year’s draft.
If Levis fails next season, Tennessee could cut the cord quickly. NFL teams have become far more assertive in moving on from young QBs if they don’t flash early. Titans GM Ran Carthon and head coach Brian Callahan are early in their tenures but have constructed a win-now roster. Adding Prescott — instead of going after a rookie QB — could be the play.
3) Las Vegas Raiders
We’re still unsure who will start for the Raiders in 2024 — let alone 2025. Las Vegas guaranteed Gardner Minshew $15 million this offseason, but head coach Antonio Pierce said 2023 draft choice Aidan O’Connell has earned the “right” to compete. The Raiders could also look for a rookie QB in the draft, either at pick No. 13 or by trading up.
But what if none of those options work out? There’s a chance Vegas struggles through a mediocre 2024 campaign with a Minshew/O’Connell platoon. In that case, the Raiders could look at Prescott, especially if they still feel good about another year of Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers at WR. Prescott would give Vegas its best chance of finally topping Patrick Mahomes.
2) Denver Broncos
The Broncos will enter the 2024 draft with the NFL’s worst quarterback situation. Jarrett Stidham would be Denver’s starting QB if the season began today, while backup Ben DiNucci has never played an NFL snap. Although Sean Payton has suggested his club could trade up in the draft, moving from No. 12 into QB range will be challenging.
Semi-tanking in 2024 could let the Broncos find a signal-caller early in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, Payton might not want to develop a rookie. He signed Drew Brees as the Saints’ head coach, turning the ex-San Diego Chargers starter into a Hall of Famer. Could Payton view Prescott in the same light?
1) Pittsburgh Steelers
Having decided 2022 first-round choice Kenny Pickett wasn’t their long-term answer, the Steelers started clean at QB this offseason. Russell Wilson, signed for the league minimum, should enter next season as Pittsburgh’s starter, while former Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields is in town as the club’s No. 2.
With a solid defense in place, and Mike Tomlin seemingly contractually obligated to finish above .500, the Steelers could win enough games with Wilson/Fields in 2024 that an early first-round QB pick in 2025 becomes impossible.
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Targeting a high-end free agent addition like Prescott might be outside Pittsburgh’s comfort zone. However, Omar Khan has been willing to take the Steelers in a more modern direction since taking over as GM in 2022.
With more than $100 million in 2025 cap space, Pittsburgh will have the financial resources to sign Prescott and keep the club’s competitive window open for the foreseeable future.